Well, July found me in Amsterdam with my company
Porgy & Bess for their opening at the Carre Theater. The company has been going to Europe for the past ten years. They are really loved over there and Gershwin is truly the star. With a cast of 45 and a full size orchestra of 54, the sound is just incredible. Then a hop, skip and a jump over to Munich for the
Jesus Christ Superstar performances. The company had been to Spain for a two week holiday on the producer, I believe a theater first. They also were well recieved, this is their third time in two years returning to fabulous Munich. Then I hurried down to Beach Haven, NJ and spent a wonderful time at the little beach house given to Clive Wilson (original Larry) while he was mounting
ACL. Did you know that Beach Haven is on the list of the best beaches in the US. That's all from me, now what's been going on in the life of
ACL members.
FOUND: CHRIS MARSHALL was in the Broadway cast from 83-85. He lives in the DC area and has been performing in Shear Madness, at the Kennedy Center, on and off for about five years. He gave up the business to become a minister at his church. He is now working in a small Pilot Hearing health store in Old Town in Alexandria, Va. Good to hear from you Chris.
FOUND: ANNE LOUISE SCHAULT (Cassie-International) has been living in the UK for 16 years and is married.
FOUND: LAUREN TOM (Connie-B'way) eight months pregnant with her second child. Lives in Los Angels and still working voice overs, films and writing.
MICHAEL LAVINE (MD - Regional Theater) wrote us to say his show CHICAGO got great reviews in the Wichita Eagle. It said "Chicago is smart and sexy " Michael says he's so happy to be conducting! He's back in NYC after playing for Steven Brinberg (Barbra Streisand) in St. Louis and teaching a master class in Southern California.
SCOTT PEARSON( Zach/Bobby- National) e-mailed to say: "I've been promoted to Project Manager and Director of Licensing at Falcon Studios in San Francisco. And the scenery around here just gets better and better."
CLIVE WILSON (Original-Larry) directed and choreographed ACL in Beach Haven, NJ. He was the Dance Captain in New York and put so many replacements on B'way. After so many years away, Clive say it's like riding a bike "that opening jazz combination will always be there." The show was well received and Clive directed the company with all the love and care needed to get a good production on in the time allotted. The jazz combination was not the only thing he remembered after all those years away from the production. The entire show was well staged and directed. The wall of lights in the finale was just brilliant. A la Chicago. Good on you, Clive, Go to it!!
LARRY BLANK (MD-National) writes he has a new website http://www.larryblankmusic.com He would appreciate it if people would drop by and leave a messages in his guest book. Also he's just returned from Guildford, UK, near London, having done the orchestrations for BEAUTIFUL AND THE DAMNED . . a musical about Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. It is likely to come into the West End. This season he also conducted for our Donna in London. Larry recently wrote to us and said Georgia Brown once said to me. . ."you don't know it's happening . . till it's over" . . . and I'm glad we have all realized and maintained what was a very important contribution from and too us.
DONNA McKECHNIE, (Cassie-original) before performing her one women show at the SURFLIGHT THEATER in Beach Heaven, NJ, was in London at the PLAZA ON THE PARK. Some of her guests who came to see her at the opening were JANE SUMMERHAYS (Sheila-International) on her way to Zurich to see family and KEN OLDFIELD (Larry-London).
JOSE RIVERA (Costume Designer-Regional) says he is designing ANYTHING GOES at THE CAPE PLAYHOUSE. Jose is happy to get back east every year after moving to LA a few years ago.
ROBERT TUNSTALL (Bobby-2001 Tour) is currently choreographing "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" at CalRep in Pennsylvania. He is also directing and choreographing a musical revue of Broadway songs that crossed over to the pop charts. (and yes, "What I Did for Love" is in the show).
JENNIFER WILLIAMSON (Connie-Regional) writes to say LAURIE GAMACHE (Cassie-B'way) and DARRELL HANKEY have gone out to the CIVIC THEATER in Fort Wayne, IN to teach the company the original choreography. Good luck with your production.
JOE LANGWORTH (Mark-Broadway) wrote to say he was going out on the touring company of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. I spent a wonderfully creative time with Joe in South Pacific down at Arena Stage last year. Good luck Joe!
RAY MANGO ( Greg, Mark, Larry - UK tour) let us know that he has been living in Malta for several years. He has a wife and daughter and is producing musicals there.
PETER BARRY (Mark/Larry London) called to say he's on his way to Tokyo. This is his sixth year teaching at the Showa University Musical Theater School. He'll try to get to the city of Nikko for holiday before the two week seminar starts. He's also thinking of Koto, but we know how hot it is in July.
GINA PALGLIA, (Diana-International) still singing and teaching in New Jersey, came down to Beach Haven's SURFLIGHT THEATER to see DONNA McKECHNIE's one women show. Gina says Donna is performing "better than ever."
KEN LEIGH ROGERS (Butch-International) writes he is playing Moonface Martin in ANYTHING GOES at The Cape Playhouse. KEN LEIGH says he didn't think he would be performing again after teach at Oklahoma University and now at Carnegie Mellon, but he is loving every minute.
And now a word from our New York Correspondent, ROBERT TUNSTALL
- Don't July to me!
It's summer time....
Donna Summer time, that is.
just heard it on the radio.
I finally directed my first show. Woo-hoo! Went well. Forum was amazing to choreograph. The girls SERVED IT in the courtesan's dance. Could turn a gay man str8...and verse visa. We called Paula Abdul on her birthday. I had the cast sing to her in multi-magical harmony. On a day off I went to Cedar Point amusement park and won a special prize....One that I will give to MARK BOVE'S (Zach, Paper Mill) NEW BABY!!!! Congratulations to you and Elisa!!!
BETH POLITO wrote to say she's enjoying her last 3 weeks as "The Enchantress" in the national tour of Beauty and the Beast. Bring a tea cup home, will ya?
DJ CHASE (Al, Paper Mill) is back in NYC and I hear he's going to be appearing as "Joe the policeman" on the "What's going down" episode of "That's my Mama."
Much love goes out to KATIE CAMERON (Judy, Euro. tour) as she nurses her broken foot back to health. You'll be dancin' again in no time! Keep your spirits up :)
And now a final thought:
" Do you think illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet soup?"
Love to all,
Robert
ZOIE LAM (Connie-National) produced the video that was presented to the Center for Asian Arts and Media at Columbia College, Life Time Achievement Award Ceremony in Chicago, honoring yours truly. Gathering all the material needed to make the Journey of my life was something I couldn't bear to do. Brazilian film maker Thiago Da Costa really did a wonderful job in getting my life down to 4 minutes. So many things had to be left out because of time. However, the most important aspect of this award was the impact Connie Wong had on the Asian community all over the States; I had no idea how far the message had reached. This was so evident when meeting Asian actresses who claimed they "wore out the album of A Chorus Line growing up." What a great honor it was to receive such a prestigious award. LAUREN TOM, 7 months pregnant, flew in from LA to present it. Bless her heart. Lauren was in the movie, The Joy Luck Club, she played the daughter of France Nuyan and also the babysitter in the film When A Man Loves A Woman starring Meg Ryan. She said playing the role of Connie on B'way enabled her to get to Hollywood as a working actress. Many thanks to THOMMIE WALSH and CLIVE WILSON for giving me material to help make the video a success. So, the beat goes on for those future Connies. I came home 4'10" but feeling 6 ft tall.
Sorry about the late WONG Notes, but when you're in rehearsal and then there is tech week, it's hard to think about anything else.
Thank you all for writing in and letting me hear from you. I'm still at baayorkATachorusline.org
in loving spirit,
Baayork
